The present invention relates to a device for protecting the connection of a tubular conduit to a main tube of a maple sap collecting system wherein sap collected from maple trees are directed under vacuum to a pumping station of a sap processing center.
Sap from maple trees is collected first by a tree tapping device connected to a drop tube fitted to a tubular conduit, the opposite end of which is connected to a main collecting tube which directs the collected sap under vacuum to a sap processing center. An adapter is mounted to the main tube to enable the connection of the tubular conduit to the main tube; the adapter has a part connected to the opposite end of the tubular conduit and has an inner portion penetrating the main tube allowing the sap received from the tubular conduit to flow into the main tube. One example of such adapter is described in applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,820 issued Oct. 8, 1991.
Since this type of assembly for collecting sap from trees and for directing it to a central processing station is not removed from its location during the months outside the sap collecting season, it is therefore subject throughout the year to various types of impacts, such as for example branches falling from trees. Frequently, whenever such impact occurs on the tubular conduit, there is disconnection of the tubular conduit from the adapter mounted on the main tube. Also, the tubular conduit is made from a flexible thermoplastic resin and this conduit must be stretched from the main tube to the first maple tree to maintain it straight. This stretching creates a tension to the connection and could affect the tightening of the connector to the main tube under vacuum.
Various types of systems have been provided to overcome this problem, one of which is to provide a protection device wherein one end is mounted to the main tube and the opposite end is mounted to the tubular conduit. However, in this case as well as other cases, the tubular conduit must be sectioned so that each sectioned end of the conduit may be mounted to a conduct connecting part of the protection device.
An important problem associated with sectioning tubular conduits is that the conduit connecting parts of the protection device must penetrate into the sectioned end of the tubular conduits. The connection is of the xe2x80x9cslide-inxe2x80x9d type where the conduit connecting part of the protection device is inserted within the tubular conduit; hence, the inner diameter of the conduit connecting part is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular conduit. This diameter constriction limits the flow of sap to the main tube as it affects the level of vacuum in the system, i.e., if vacuum is low, the sap collection is diminished.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above described problems associated with present systems of protecting the connection of a tubular conduit to a main tube; this is achieved by eliminating the necessity of requiring the tubular conduit from being sectioned and by providing a protecting device wherein one end is mounted to the main tube and the opposite end encircles the tubular conduit thus avoiding sectioning the tubular conduits.
The present invention therefore relates to a device for use in a maple sap collecting system using a main tube for collecting sap from tubular conduits and directing the sap to a pumping station of a sap collecting center wherein the tubular conduits are uninterrupted with one end connected to tree taping means and an opposite end mounted to an adapter for connection to the main tube whereby sap collected from a maple tree is conducted through the tubular conduit directly to the main assembly. The device comprises a band having a first end adapted to be mounted to the main tube and an opposite second end adapted to be mounted externally to the tubular conduit at a distance from the main tube; this distance is greater than the distance between the first and second ends of the band whereby accidental impact on the tubular conduit resulting from falling objects is taken by the band to thereby protect the connection of the tubular conduit to the adapter. The invention creates a loop thus avoiding any tension on the tubular conduit in the connection area.
In one preferred form of the said invention, the opposite end of the band comprises an extension which is foldable to define a loop to surround or envelop externally the tubular conduit.
In another form of the invention, the extension is provided with friction means to provide anti-sliding between the tubular conduit and the band.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.